Internet addiction and cyberchondria - Their relationship with Well-Being

Eliza Ivanova

doi:10.15503/jecs20131.57.70

Abstract

The current paper presents the results from some research on the relationship between In-ternet addiction, cyberchondria, and different aspects of well-being. The information available on the Internet, which is not necessarily truthful and accurate, can unreasonably amplify users health concerns. Problematic Internet use, health anxiety aroused by online searches for health information and escalation of health concerns as an indicator of cyberchondria, are all associated with a decrease in subjective and eudaimonic well-being as well as in self-esteem. The analyses indicate positive relationships between depressive symptoms on the one hand, and Internet ad-diction and health anxiety, on the other. A conclusion regarding the existence of a relationship between Internet addiction, cyberchondria and decreased levels of well-being could be drawn from the research. Furthermore, the results suggest that self-esteem and eudaimonic well-being correlate positively with the number of people with whom users communicate online.

Highlights

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationships between Internet addiction, cyberchondria and well-being
We registered positive correlations between escalation of concerns and depression (r=0.187) and between persistence of concerns and depression (r=0.108). These findings suggest that health anxiety and escalation of concerns as an aspect of cyberchondria are negatively associated with well-being and self-esteem and positively – with depression
On the basis of the results it can be concluded that participants did not demonstrate high levels of cyberchondria and health anxiety aroused by seeking health information online

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationships between Internet addiction, cyberchondria and well-being. To broaden the scope of findings, the concept of well-being has been elaborated by measuring subjective well-being, eudaimonic well-being, self-esteem and depression. The assumption is that self-esteem is consistent with well-being, while depression is negatively associated with well-being (Ryff, & Keyes, 1995; Wood, & Joseph, 2010). Most widely the criteria for pathological gambling from DSM-IV have been adapted for problematic Internet use. As far as the variations of Internet addiction are concerned, there are some contrasting opinions. David Greenfield (1999) distinguishes between a primary problem and a secondary problem with the Internet. The primary problem is characterized with the Internet itself being the focus of problematic behaviour, while the secondary problem arises when a pre-existing com-

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